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Saturday 20th June dawned bright and breezy when a team of NBRC die-hards ventured to Granton Harbour for a different type of Skiff race. Although one of the larger clubs, our team was the only one where our runner ran twice, and our rowers...rowed twice. All other clubs had multiple runners and rowers.
9 Skiffie teams were soon sharing notes and swapping anecdotes from previous ventures: you know, the cameraderie we share is the envy of many other sports. The friendship and common love for this thing that we do is pure magic. It started with a yacht race from Granton to Newhaven, Claire being our 'baton' on yacht (a fancy name for a boat with a lid) Silver Lining (Hi-ho); on arrival the runners raced back up to Granton. Claire arrived a creditable 3rd, ahead of many other fancied runners. We cast off and raced around the Skiffie course, managing to keep our third place. Claire then jumped off, and raced back to Newhaven (what sadist thought this one up?), and re-joined Silver Lining (....and it's hi ho silver lining and away we go...).
Guess what? Yup, the yachts raced back up to Granton. Sadly, during this part of the race, Silver Lining (and it's hi-ho etc) got an 'override' (Google it if you want!) on a winch and lost lots of time, and places. At that point, the competition became a bit less frantic. We formed a procession around Granton harbour, and this was the starting order(with 2 boat lengths between each skiff) for the final leg; a longer Skiff race, finishing back at Granton.
Worthy of note, we made up one place. More significant was, the 'Anstruther girls' moved up from LAST position to 2nd (almost catching the eventual winners Cockenzie/Port Seton) in a race of some 2k. The way the girls row that skiff made everyone else seem pedestrian.
There followed a super feast, and vats of liquid refreshment. It was indeed a great day; we were pleased to finish 6th, and our thanks go to Newhaven and Royal Corinthian for hosting a very enjoyable day.
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Well the day dawned very overcast and dreich. The thought of putting on layers and layers in mid June was not high on my agenda after the summer weather of last week. But trying to keep positive it was Sunny Dunny we were heading to. We had our coxes briefing crowded into the cadet hut, with all the fabby cakes on display, whilst Skiff John B was launched in the harbour and rowed over to the pontoon. We pitched our flag and set up camp with a fantastic view of the race course and out of the wind. Coffee and cake on board we all waited for our turns on the water.
The men's and women's open were first up, and with quite a swell was pretty challenging at times. NBRC managed to win both. Then our fantastic newbies, you all deserve a huge pat on the back, a hard race to the first turning buoy, where there was quite a bit of barging about and possibly some strong language too. And gals you did amazing in the straight to the second turn, passing one boat after another. To be pipped at the finish line for third place by one second. So huge well done, and a great welcome into the skiffies world. We didn't have a full 60+ team so Sandy managed to jump in with Porty, he must have finished because he was back on shore, but no idea what place. Rob coxed our 35+ ladies, his first time coxing races, fantastic job and steered them home to a win. Out 35+ men were caught in a tussle with Dunbar, and squeezed home ahead of them for 3rd place. Our 35+ mixed team was truly awesome posting fastest time of the day (Ed's contribution :-))
By this time the swell had gone down a bit and the sun had also made an appearance, the pooh buoy being the final race of the day, our mixed crew of Lizzie, Louise, Medium and Rob rowed with style and power to take that race.
Fantastic day all in all. Not sure how many times I ran up and down the hill to harbour, think I saw most teams in, any excuse for cuddles. Great craic, cakes, racing and wow what super trophies, and thanks weather too.
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Friday evening is for new members to get out under the watchful eye of club captains Jacque and Medium John. Medium took the photos but I can't figure out if they are all from the same outing or not, if they are then that was a heck of a change in weather over an hour. But who knows? Medium is better with rowing than technology.
Once new members graduate from the Captains' sessions they can join in the various social rowing outings, or race training according to what tickles their fancy.
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Beautiful morning in North Berwick today. A mixed crew training for the Cork Ocean to City race put some miles down by setting off from North Berwick to row around Fidra, Lamb, Craigleith and Bass Rock. 13 miles in total, great effort #ReadyForCork
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NBRC are sending a St Ayles skiff and a couple of smaller boats to Cork for the Ocean to City race at the end of May. So thought we'd get some practice in with a 10 mile sharpener from North Berwick to Dunbar.
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